Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is a genus of flowering plant that includes three species. Throughout human history, cannabis has been commonly used for medicinal purposes as well as social and recreational purposes. Cannabis is a common and popular recreational drug worldwide that has psychoactive effects in which the user typically enters a state of relaxation and sometimes a state of euphoria. Cannabis can also be used to treat a variety of medical conditions. For instance, cannabis is used to treat chronic pain resulting from a variety of conditions and to treat nausea and vomiting resulting from chemotherapy, among other conditions. Although the United States Federal Government classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act and considers cannabis to have “no accepted medical use,” many U.S. states recognize medical uses for cannabis and have legalized the authorized use of cannabis for medical reasons. Additionally, as of the time of writing of this application, at least four U.S. states, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, have legalized cannabis for recreational use. Other states are currently considering similar laws.
Cannabis is commonly administered by inhaling smoke produced by burning the leaves and/or flowers of the plant in cigarettes or in various types of pipes or bongs. However, in recent years the drug has become available in various forms designed for administering the drug in ways other than smoking. One such form is a concentrated extract produced from plant material and commonly referred to as “marijuana wax” or simply “wax.” Wax is a concentrate produced by extracting active compounds from marijuana using a solvent such as butane. Wax produced by butane extraction is generally referred to as butane hash oil (BHO) and comes in a variety of forms depending on the specific method of extraction and finishing processes. Marijuana wax, regardless of the specific method of extraction, generally comprises high amounts of terpenes and cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), among other compounds.
Depending on the composition of the wax and the method of production, the texture and consistency of marijuana wax may vary considerably. In various forms typically available to consumers, the consistency ranges from a semi-solid, highly viscous oil to a sticky, frangible solid. Though the consistency may vary, marijuana wax generally has a tendency to stick to surfaces at typical ambient temperatures. The warmer the temperature of the wax, the more the wax tends to liquefy and to stick to surfaces. Due to the sticky nature of marijuana wax, many users store wax in silicone containers such as small silicone jars. Silicone containers have non-stick surfaces that the wax does not stick to easily. However, once removed from a storage container, the user needs to handle the wax to transfer the material from the storage container to a bong, vaporizer, or similar device for use. Even at typical room temperatures in the range of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, marijuana wax is typically sticky. As a result, handling the wax often results in wax sticking to a user's fingers or to any type of tool the user may use to handle the wax. Thus, handling wax is often a messy and inconvenient process.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a device and a method for providing marijuana wax or similar sticky substances to a user in such a way that prevents the wax from sticking to the user's hands or other surfaces during handling.